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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bark · fine · board · fall · stand · cap · bay · craft

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. board — to get on
  4. cap — a lid
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. cap — of ice
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. craft — boats
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com